Green Hair Algae

[Jay]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of unwanted green hair algae? I know its tough without any pictures but I have a couple of patches of hair algae in my tank. I have a large Vlamingi tang in the tank but he does not touch it. Would any type of Nudibranch or Sea hare clear this up for me? Anything I could dose the tank with? Any ideas are greatly appreciated as I don't want this crap to take over the tank.

 

[nahtanoj]

lettuce nudi branch, or sea hare would do the trick if its hair algae. if its bryopsis, i've heard raising your magnesium level will kill it. you can also light starve it. turn off your lights for 3 days.

 

[Jay]

would turning off the lights for 3 days affect other corals? Not to sure what bryopsis is, ill have to look that one up.

 

[nahtanoj]

a lot like hair algae, but feather, you gotta look close at it. but nudi's and hares won't eat it. i've never done the light thing, but it has been recommended to me before. i doubt 3 days of dark will hurt your corals, but you might want to research that a bit more too.
jon

 

[afelder]

3 days of dark won't kill the hair algea.

 

[Jay]

Kind of a crude method but I took a toothbrush to the rock and scrubbed the algae off, irritated some of the zoos growing on the rock but I think they will get over it. looks a lot better im just hoping whatever it is I did not spread it all over the tank by scrubbing it off and letting itself naturally filter out through the overflos

 

[nahtanoj]

even though you scrubbed it off, it will return. all it takes is one little bit left on the rock and it'll sprout again.

 

[Jay]

not good news. I guess im looking for the cure all to get rid of this stuff. Im hoping by keeping the area clean by scrubbing that the coraline purple algae will take over the spot where the hair algae is growing. Do you think this unrealistic?

 

[nahtanoj]

i guess its possible, i have never dealt with a huge epidemic before. it is worth a shot, if you don't mind the work.